In a bid to protect from further attack, all schools had been ordered to rapidly build walls and extra defences, and the authorities at the Peshawar army school carried out massive renovations in an attempt to remove the memory of the attack.
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Bearing images of students and teachers slain in the Peshawar attack, mourners congregated on Wednesday at the Army Public School where the deadly assault took place one year ago. Terming the Peshawar attack as a “defining moment”, Basit said the people of Pakistan would never let the sacrifices made by the young children go waste.
Pakistan Army achieved significant success against militants in leadership of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, the PM said.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has said he was deeply moved by the resolve and resilience showed by the students of Army Public School Peshawar after the incident.
Government spokesman Mushtaq Ghani said Wednesday the closure is part a day of national mourning and a precaution against militant attacks tied to the anniversary.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and four provincial chief ministers and foreign dignitaries are also expected to attend the ceremony.
“We will take revenge for every drop of blood of our innocent children, the premier said”.
The attack hardened public opinion against extremism and prompted a military-led crackdown that has improved security, with 2015 on course for the fewest deaths linked to extremist violence since 2007, the year the Pakistani Taliban was formed.
The army also made a decision to intensify the Zarb-e-Azb operation which was launched in June, 2014, to wipe out militancy.
Various public and private organizations held rallies across Pakistan to commemorate the tragedy and show solidarity in the fight against Islamic militants.
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One of the massacre survivors, 14-year-old Ahmad Nawaz, recounted the horror of the attack in which he was shot in the arm and his brother was killed. Taliban fighters have used violent means before to stop children from attending schools. “I see him playing on the school grounds”.
